Finally sentenced: Mohammadullah Khan's case was adjourned six times as he employed delaying tactics in a bid to stay in the UK, but he was eventually sentenced today

An asylum seeker who groped a tourist and delayed his court case in a bid to stay in the UK has finally been sentenced and will deported once he has served time in prison.

Mohammadullah Khan, 20, who came to Britain from Afghanistan, assaulted a 26-year-old French woman as she got off a night bus in Maida Vale, west London, in July last year.

Khan's case cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds after the case had to be adjourned six times as the defendant tried to change his plea and refused to co-operate with either the probation service or his own legal team.

Southwark Crown Court heard that Khan tried to grab the victim's bottom and kiss her and claimed his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams.

He only let his victim go when a resident on the street heard a noise and shouted at Khan.

Khan originally pleaded guilty, but initially held up the first court hearing when he tried to retract that plea.

He then told the court that he needed a psychiatric report because life in prison had 'driven him mad'.

The case was delayed on a third occasion when Khan refused to co-operate with the probation service because he was apparently convinced that they were immigration officers.

In April, Khan’s lawyer decided she could no longer act for him, creating further problems.

He still refuses to co-operate fully with his legal team and his barrister could offer no mitigation for him.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

His sentencing finally went ahead today, after further delays caused by Khan’s refusal to be joined in the dock by an interpreter.

He finally confirmed his guilty plea today, but still shouted ‘conspiracies’ at the judge as sentence was passed.

Prosecutor David Ryan told the court: 'The victim had been out with her boyfriend and friends. She had left them at about 2am, returning by bus to go home.

'When she got off the bus, somebody approached her.

Hearing: Khan, who was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court, pictured, will face deportation once he has served time in a young offenders' institute and then an adult jail

'It seems as if the defendant grabbed her from behind and tried to grab her bottom and kiss her. She tried to get his hand off her face but she could not remove it.

'She was lying on the ground with the defendant on top of her. She kept trying to remove his hand - she couldn’t breath.

'He said something like "don’t worry, it won’t be long, be nice, don’t scream".'

‘This is an extremely serious sexual assault and the ordeal for the complainant has been very grave, despite the fact that she did not have to go into the witness box.'

Judge Peter Testar

Khan then began to rub himself on the defenceless woman, the court heard.

Mr Ryan added: 'A resident on that street heard what he thought was a disagreement.

'Her shouts got more serious and the female sounded more distressed and he could see this and he see the back of someone lying on her.

'He shouted and the defendant then got up and ran away.'

Khan frequently swore and shouted ‘conspiracies’ throughout the hearing.

Sentencing Khan, Judge Peter Testar said: ‘This is an extremely serious sexual assault and the ordeal for the complainant has been very grave, despite the fact that she did not have to go into the witness box.

'It was only on the day of the trial that the defendant pleaded guilty. His attitude metamorphosed into denial of the offence.'

Khan, of no fixed address, received five years detention in a young offenders’ institute, with an extension period of three years.

He will be transferred to an adult jail when he turns 21 and automatically deported when he serves his sentence.